Hi, I'm just wondering what people do when they go about painting their machines?

I'm gonna need to be painting my engine once its built, but I can't afford to get it professionally sprayed and whatnot. I have seen a lot of pictures of engines that are just amazing and I would like to be able to do something like that, but on a budget.

Most restored engine's are brush painted so get yourself some decent primer (I use Wilkos red primer, never had a problem with it) and some decent machinery enamel. Undercoat is optional, I use it but some do not, the choice is yours. I can paint an engine, two primer coats, two undercoats and three gloss coats for around £20 or less with enough paint for at least two engine's, of the same colour of course! Use decent brushes, I 'bed' a brush in on primer before using it for top coats as that rounds the bristles off nicely. Allow plenty of drying time between coats, a day between primer coats and then a few days before I apply the undercoat's. Then leave it for a week before glossing it, I rub down lightly between coats with a kitchen foam pad for pot cleaning! Leave the finished engine for around a week before putting fuel near it. When I start a restoration the first things I paint are the tank and carb, then leave them near the radiator to harden off while I tackle the rest of the engine. That's MY way, everyone has a different method.

well, if your really lazy you could leave it under a tree for a season or two. here's what you'll see: a brownish orange under coat will form first (don't worry if it comes out rough and rust like) then after a spell of wet weather your lovely coat of green moss will occur!! unfortunately it's more of a light brunswick green rather that mid. the best thing about it is it grows back ready for next years rallies!!

seriously though, I think as long as it says something along the lines of machine paint i think you're okay. remember, its all in the preparation though my engineering teacher told us a good saying " always remember the 4 P's... proper preparation prevents p***ing up"

hope this helps in some sort of way!!

callum

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